McRae ends Super League stint to return to Australia

Shaun McRae, the only coach to be employed throughout the nine seasons of Super League, is going home to Australia to fulfil his ambition of coaching in the National Rugby League.

Shaun McRae, the only coach to be employed throughout the nine seasons of Super League, is going home to Australia to fulfil his ambition of coaching in the National Rugby League.

The Hull coach has agreed to take charge of South Sydney in 2005 and 2006, with his assistant John Kear in line to take over from him at the KC Stadium.

McRae, who coached St Helens to trophy success and guided Gateshead through their one year in Super League, will stay with Hull until the end of this season. The Hull chairman, David Plummer, said the job would be offered to Kear, with a new assistant to be brought in. "We are sad to see Shaun go, but we always knew it was possible he would return to Australia,'' Plummer said.

Hull will be without their centre, Michael Eager, for the rest of the season with a broken arm, but McRae has dismissed suggestions that he might take Richard Horne to Souths with him. Bradford's Paul Johnson has also broken his arm and is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Widnes, who sacked their coach, Neil Kelly, on Sunday, will name Stuart Spruce as their caretaker coach, with Whitehaven's Steve McCormack tipped as a possible permanent appointment.

Leeds are threatening to sue their former player, Iestyn Harris, for breach of contract after he signed for Bradford last week. The Rugby League has ruled that Harris is free to play for the Bulls, but Leeds allege that he is in breach of an agreement to return to them after ending his stint in Welsh rugby union.